JAMMU, DECEMBER 15: In order to promote local art and culture by providing necessary platform to the local artists and youth through workshops and related activities, the government today invited renowned Film Director, Imtiyaz Ali for the purpose. The Bollywood director who has earlier experience of shooting in J&K has shown keen interest in making films casting local artists using local themes, music, art, and locales.
In an interaction with the Media, Director Imtiyaz Ali claimed that he is in awe of the culture, art, and talent found among J&K artists. He remarked that the richness of culture is so deep here that it would take many initiatives to showcase it fully. Secretary Culture & Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez; Director Archaeology & Museums, Munir-ul-Islam were also present on the occasion.
Ali also expressed that he is back to carry out the work that is exclusively native using native talent, artists, music, and musical instruments. He proposed that the vast pool of talent found here is diverse and encompassing every sphere of cinematic requirement so it would take us nothing to search here from beginning to climax of the film.
Ali further said that he is fully convinced that the old, traditional folklore offers so many stories that could be translated into the best cinematic presentations. He said that the efforts made earlier have not been enough so bringing more themes to the fore would be our main focus.
Bollywood director articulated that youth, so full of energy, have to help themselves by coming forth for making their ability known to the world. He said that their power should get reflected in helping society. Art and culture bring positivity and positivity motivate for making real progression, he mentioned.
Secretary Culture and Tourism said that this initiative is one among many to bring J&K back on the top of creativity in the entertainment industry, theatre, culture, art, crafts, and literature which it once enjoyed in the past.
Sarmad urged the youth to explore their talent by exploiting the platform offered to them. He said that the film industry has so much to offer to our youth and we in turn also have a vast pool of capable artists, art, and natural beauty to explore from. He said that both would get benefitted from one another as the association would be mutually symbiotic.
Secretary further said that it would be the greatest confidence booster for our youth who can get carried away towards other socially evil forces in absence of such an environment here. He said that art can bring the best out of them and the platform we propose to give them would be national one.